Some lightning discharge control systems and/or devices rely upon creating a large ground charge, for example via a lightning rod or other similar device. According to this approach, the highest potential ground charge, and therefore hopefully the lightning strike, occurs at a controlled location. These systems and devices are not foolproof, can attract lightning to facilities at which the lightning rods or other devices are placed, and can fail to prevent lightning discharge at or near sensitive locations and/or people.
As step leaders begin forming in a storm cloud, the corona process can begin at grounded conductors such as conventional lightning rods. During this process, ion formation begins at the lightning rod. As the ions repel from each other and disperse in all directions away from the lightning rod, electrons left behind begin to flow to the ground, thereby neutralizing positive charges in the ground. Eventually, the lightning rod reaches a saturation point at which the lightning rod can no longer dissipate the charge fast enough to keep up with the charge accumulation. Meanwhile, streamers begin to form, effectively causing the lightning rods to attract lightning strikes.
Because of the charge dissipation described above, however, the ground charges that develop streamers attracting a lightning strike no longer have sufficient electrical energy to initiate the upward streamer needed to control the path of the lightning. As such, a downward travelling step leader may be attracted to an object with potential higher than the lightning rod, and therefore may strike a target other than the lightning rod.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.